AIG's(AIG) board is meeting Wednesday to consider whether to join a $25 billion shareholder lawsuit against the government, court records show, The New York Times reported.

The lawsuit doesn't argue that government help wasn't needed at the giant insurer during the financial crisis, the Times said. AIG just completed paying back the U.S. government for a $182 billion bailout. The newspaper said that AIG contends that the onerous nature of the rescue -- the taking of what became a 92% stake in the company, the deal's high interest rates and the funneling of billions to the insurer's Wall Street clients -- deprived shareholders of tens of billions of dollars and violated the Fifth Amendment.

Aluminum giant Alcoa(AA) is expected by analysts Tuesday to post fourth-quarter earnings of 6 cents a share on revenue of $5.61 billion.

Sears(SHLD) said late Monday that CEO Louis D'Ambrosio is stepping down for family health reasons; Chairman Edward Lampert will take over the CEO duties.

The U.S. retailer also said it expects a loss in the quarter ending Feb. 2 of $280 million to $360 million, or $2.64 to $3.40 a share. The period includes a charge of about $450 million related to pension settlements.